Tears Shed, blood unshed
by Mizuni-no-neko
Summary: What if Scarlett had really loved Charles? What if he had lived? What if Scarlett didn't spend all those years pining for Ashley?
1. Off to war

Tears Disclaimer: I am not Margaret Mitchell or the manager of her estate, nor am I Alexandra Ripley, the woman set in her will to write the sequel Scarlett.

shed and blood unshed

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Scarlett looked at her husband, the man she had married. Everyone thought she had only married him to spite Honey...or Ashley. But she hadn't, there was another reason too.

She smiled as she thought about how tender and gentle he was. He shouldn't go to war! He was too soft, to gentle, he was her Charles! She thought of when he had no more cares than what poetry book to read, it should always be that way. But he was going off to war tomorrow, she could only weep when he left and hope the war could be over soon.

All she wanted was for him to stay home so she give him her most tender affection and get his slippers when he came in from wherever husbands went when they weren't in the house. But he was to go off to war tomorrow, and this was one time when she would have to act brave and hopeful when all she wanted to do was cry.

She was proud, she should be! Charlie was going to war and he would come back a hero or die gloriously in battle! But...she wished he wouldn't go...wouldn't make her worry. The sun was just peaking over the green hills, green only because in Atlanta the grass covered the red Georgia soil on the grassy knolls.

Charlie awoke and stretched. She smiled affectionately at him as he recited Shakespeare

"But soft! What light from yonder window breaks? It is the east and Juliet is the sun. Arise fair sun and kill the envious moon, who is already sick and pale with grief, that thou her maid art far more fair than she" he said dramatically as he pulled Scarlett into his lap.

"Fair Juliet, she who doth teach the torches to burn bright, our marriage shall be a happy one, no?" he said kissing her cheek.

Her eyes lit up and she smiled, but the smile and light quickly faded as she remembered the reason for her earlier worry. "No Charlie, it won't be. You will be gone and I shall be so sad to see you go." She said sighing and letting him pull her head to his chest and stroke her hair as she sobbed out her worries of his death and destruction.

He listened to her, not as a husband listening to his wife's silly ranting but, as one human being listening to another. He nodded gravely.

"You're right to worry Scarlett. I don't think we can win this. They have so many more men at their disposal with the immigrants willing to do anything for a pretty penny. And we can't manufacture much or protect our shoreline from the Yankee gunboats. It's all wrong Scarlett!" he said as he bolted upright and she sat up and took her head off of his chest, impassioned about the problems the Cause had caused. "But I have to go, no matter what I think it is my duty as a southern gentleman to uphold the rights of my country's citizens. Your rights." He added smiling at her.

She smiled and laid a hand on his shoulder and nodded her understanding. And she did understand, he didn't believe in the war but he believed in the cause, so he would fight for it.

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Sorry for the short chapter, plz r&r!


	2. He can't be dead

Tears shed blood unshed

Chapter 2

Charlie had been away for seven weeks when the telegram no wife of any officer ever wanted to receive. When she saw the downtrodden look on the man's face when she opened the door she immediately slammed it in his face screaming "Go away! You have the wrong house!" and although she knew it wasn't true she refused to let him in no matter how hard he pushed or Gerald pulled, she was inhumanly strong with grief.

Ellen kept crying out to her, "Scarlett! Scarlett! Calm down honey! Calm down!" over and over again she heard it physically, but in her mind all she could hear was Charlie's words before he had left. "It is my duty as a Southern Gentleman to uphold the rights of my country's citizens, your rights." The words reverberated in her head. "My duty" and "Your rights" were all she could hear for what seemed like the longest time.

Her mother finally got through the aching in Scarlett's heart and set her shaking form down on the couch. Gerald spoke soft and hurried with the man at the door while Ellen tried to comfort the shaking, staring shell of her daughter. Her skin was numb, were those her mother's hands? Why, the felt so far away, like they were touching her from all the way in Atlanta instead of the surface of her skin! Her mind was numb too, "Charlie can't be dead, he just can't be!" she thought somewhere in the back of her clouded mind. Gerald would come back from the door any minute and tell her it wasn't true, tell her the man had had the wrong house. But he didn't, somewhere down deep inside she had know, or maybe just dreaded, the words he said next.

"I'm sorry Puss." He said with his hat in his hand, she knew what it meant. Suddenly the spell was broken and Scarlett broke down crying into her mother's shoulder. He couldn't be dead, he just couldn't! She was in a daze, all she heard was Gerald saying that he had died in battle and the body hadn't been recovered. Then it hit her, he wasn't dead for sure! He could be alive still! He was alive, she just knew it! He had to be, he just had to be alive!

She didn't remember much about the rest of that day, but she knew that by the time she woke up she was happy with the hope that her Charlie was still alive somewhere and was trying to come home to her. She knew he was probably wounded or maybe taken prisoner, so she might have to wait months or years, but she would wait, she would wait.

The chaps'll get longer, but I'm kinda in a perpetual hell of writer's block and my word program was down with a virus for a while cries I know I changed the way he died, but just deal ok? If he'd died in camp the story wouldn't be what I plan for it so he couldn't have died in camp. R&R plz -


	3. Searching for Ellen

Lovely readers and even more lovely reviewers I send you salutations! I realize I have neglected my duties in writing this story and I am very sorry but I'm back now and the show must and will go on!!

Tears shed and blood unshed.

Ch 3

Scarlett really didn't feel well, she became sick at the smell of her favorite foods, she was vomiting every morning, and she was visiting the out house more than usual. Her mother just smiled and said she would be happy enough with it in time. She frowned, what did that mean? Was she supposed to be happy that she was sick? No that couldn't be it. Ellen would never smile and tell her she would be happy to be sick.

Then it hit her, Ellen had been sick like this several times before! And every time a baby had followed the sickness. She ran down the stairs as fast as she could and searched everywhere for her mother. She wasn't in the sitting room or the dining room. She wasn't in the kitchen or anywhere in the house for that matter. She went out on the lawn to look for her there but still found no trace of her.

She saw Mammy waddling out on the lawn after her, probably to tell her she needed a shawl. She ran to Mammy intending to ask about her mother's whereabouts. "Mammy where is my mother?" she asked the imposing old black woman. Mammy shook her head. "Chile Ellen done gone to take ker of dem trashy Slatterys. Dat Emmy done gone and git herself sick wit da flu. I done tol her 'n tol her dat if dem po' white trash caint take ker o' demseves she should jus let um kill demseves." She said exasperatedly.

"Well maybe you could help me then Mammy." She said as she explained her symptoms and her theory. "Well you always was the smart one Miz Scarlett. Looks like you got yerself a baby on da way." Mammy said as she walked off, completely forgetting Scarlett's shawl which hung on her large arm. Scarlett just stood there, shocked. A baby, Charlie's baby. She smiled and rested her hand lightly on her stomach. She was going to love this baby enough for her and Charlie both.

So how do you like it so far? You don't really have to tell me, I don't really care if you review or not. But if you don't it'll come back to bite your buttox! I stopped reviewing for a little bit and I stopped getting reveiws for all of my stories, not just like one or two all 10 that I had out at the time 0.0 true story!!


	4. Sonnets

Augh

Augh! I've been rereading this and It was just HORRIBLE!! So I promise to do better and make the chapters longer! I also realize I changed stuff around but OH WELL GET OVER IT!!

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Scarlett lay in her bed staring up at the blank white ceiling above her. So much had happened in the last two months.

She turned over onto her side and searched the floor with her emerald green eyes. A year before her eyes had been sharp and keen alight with youth and gaiety. Now they were softened with unshed tears and love for her missing love and the baby that grew inside her womb.

She turned onto her other side and stared at the white wall. It was blank, as blank as she had been those two years ago, caring for nothing other than pretty dresses and her own pretty face. So much had changed.

And it had only been two years.

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A young girl of about fourteen stepped out of the carriage and onto the immaculate green lawn of Twelve Oaks. Her piercing green eyes shone with the impetuous flame of someone who knew they were beautiful.

She was not yet old enough to court, but she was still determined to be the bell of the ball…well barbeque.

She smoothed out the skirts of her burgundy dress and flounced into the midst of the crowd. She scanned the crowed for her unsuspecting prey.

She saw Ashley and was about to go over to him and flirt her little heart out when she felt a warm hand on her elbow.

"Ms. Scarlett, I haven't seen you since we were children. You've grown into a very pretty young lady." said the man, softly holding her arm.

He wasn't so tall as the twins, but he towered over the petite Scarlett. He had warm chocolate brown eyes and chestnut hair that blew softly in the light breeze. She didn't recognize him at first, but once the shock wore off she smiled at him.

"Why Charles Hamilton how you do run on!" she exclaimed. "It has been much too long! How are you and dear Melly?" she asked, feigning exuberance when speaking of that washed out dreamer.

"I take it you hold some grudge against my sister?" he asked, bemused.

She reared back in surprise, he wasn't supposed to be able to tell! Besides. A gentleman never revealed that he knew a lady's thoughts! "Why I don't know what you're on about." She said, batting her eyelashes cluelessly.

"You don't have to pretend, Scarlett. I know you're smarter than you let on, and I know you don't like Melanie." He laughed. "I am allowed to ask that question because it involves my sister, so don't tell me I'm no gentleman."

She stared in wonder at this man who could read her thoughts like an open book.

She smiled, this time it was genuine. "Would you like to dance with me Charles?" He nodded and led her out onto the dance floor.

She would have to read books more often.

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A single tear slid down Scarlett's face as the memory faded back into her subconscious. It had been the first time she had met, really met, Charles.

But it had not been the last.

She gazed back up at the ceiling as another memory surfaced. This one slightly more recent.

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A fifteen year old Scarlett threaded her finger into the hair above her ear as she moaned in frustration.

In her hand was a book.

She turned her gaze upon the man sitting be hind her.

"Don't you laugh Charles Hamilton!" she exclaimed indignantly

"I was not laughing, Scarlett. I was merely curious as to what you were attempting to read." He said honestly, with a warm smile.

"Shakespeare's sonnet 116." She said, a little downtrodden that she couldn't understand it.

"Would you like me to help you?"

"Yes." She said with an enthusiastic nod.

"Ok read it and I will translate for you."

She nodded and turned back to the book laying open on her desk.

"Let me not to the marriage of true minds

Admit impediments. Love is not love

Which alters when it alteration finds,

Or bends with the remover to remove:

O no! it is an ever-fixed mark

That looks on tempests and is never shaken;

It is the star to every wandering bark,

Whose worth's unknown, although his height be taken.

Love's not Time's fool, though rosy lips and cheeks

Within his bending sickle's compass come:

Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks,

But bears it out even to the edge of doom.

If this be error and upon me proved,

I never writ, nor no man ever loved"

As she finished she looked to him, seeking guidance.

He smiled one of his warm smiles, like melting chocolate, and started speaking.

"Do not let love cause problems. Love does not seek to change or remove what does not need to be. Love is unshakable, even in a tempest. It is a guiding star, although it's worth is unknown. Love is not subject to time, even though it starts with youth. Love does not fade with time but lasts even till the brink of death. If this is untrue then I have never written and no man has ever loved."

Her eyes shone as she understood the meaning behind the beautiful work she had been struggling over.

If you looked in on Scarlett between parties you could see her reading Shakespeare, her eyes full of wonder.

And love.

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She smiled and let her hand fall lightly on her lower stomach.

"When I do count the clock that tells the time,

And see the brave day sunk in hideous night;

When I behold the violet past prime,

And sable curls all silver'd o'er with white;

When lofty trees I see barren of leaves

Which erst from heat did canopy the herd,

And summer's green all girded up in sheaves

Borne on the bier with white and bristly beard,

Then of thy beauty do I question make,

That thou among the wastes of time must go,

Since sweets and beauties do themselves forsake

And die as fast as they see others grow;

And nothing 'gainst Time's scythe can make defence

Save breed, to brave him when he takes thee hence."

She smiled. She had taken quickly to the procreation sonnets, especially now.

She wondered at the fact that she was having a baby. Many girls her age weren't even married yet!

She had so many questions. Was it a boy or a girl? Would it be more like Charles or her? How would she take care of it until Charles came back to her?

She growled in frustration. This was all so confusing!

She rolled onto her side and huffed, searching the floor once more. Seeing nothing there to solve her problems she stared back up at the ceiling.

It was hot.

She opened the window to let the breeze in and fell back on to the voluptuous bed.

She stared up at the ceiling, letting her thoughts overtake her mind as she fell into her own subconscious.

Ellen tiptoed in and covered her lightly with a sheet.


End file.
